19990731010159A

Skydiving acft took off, banked sharply to the right, and crashed, the pilot and 9 parachute jumpers on board sustained fatal injuries, the acft was destroyed by fire, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on July 31, 1999, at approximately 0830 eastern daylight time, a Beech king air 65 A-90, N518DM, operated by the parahawks skydiving center, impacted the ground after takeoff from runway 22 at the Marine City Airport, Marine City, Michigan. The pilot and nine skydivers were fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire. The 14 CFR part 91 flight had departed the Marine City Airport on a local skydiving flight and was not on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident. Witnesses reported the airplane climbed to about 150 to 250 feet above ground level (AGL), clearing a 90 foot high power line. The aircraft then went into a steep left bank and impacted the ground in a steep nose low attitude. Local weather was scattered clouds at 15,000 feet, an overcast layer at 25,000 feet, winds from 200 degrees at 10 knots, and surface temperature of 81 degrees fahrenheit. (-23)on 7/31/99, N518DM, and Beech king air A90, took off from Marine City Airport on runway 22. There was a pilot and 9 parachute jumpers on board. It crashed about 1800 feet on a 190 degree radial from the departure end of runway 22, just beyond the power lines. The crash was not survivable. The aircraft burned on impact. One witness indicated the aircraft was in a left 90 degree bank with a 25 degree nose down attitude, silhouetted in the power lines, just before impact. Aircraft appears to be with in weight and balance limits. Engines appeared to be making power before impact. Further comment will have to wait for engine tear down reports as well as some lab analysis of critical instruments and switches concerning the fuel system.